CHOCOLATE NUTTY FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Cake: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 10" spring-form pan with parchment paper. Grease and dust the sides and bottom of pan with flour. Set aside. Combine the chocolate squares with the hot water; stir until melted and set aside to cool.
• 2. Cream butter on high speed of mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar and beat well. Add the eggs to batter one at a time; mix in vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate and sour cream.
• 3. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend on low speed after each addition just enough to incorporate mixture; do not overbeat. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 35 - 45 minutes or until center of cake tests done. A few crumbs on the cake tester (or toothpick) is okay as this is a dense and moist cake. Cool before frosting.
• 4. Nutty Fudge Frosting: Stir together all ingredients except the crushed cashews; gradually add a small amount of milk/water to thin the frosting for spreading consistency only. It is a thick frosting. Remove cake from pan and spread with frosting on sides and top of cooled cake. Top with the crushed cashews. Place in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes or longer to cool and set icing. Prepare chocolate glaze and drizzle over cooled cake; return the cake to refrigerator for several hours before serving.
• 5. Easy Chocolate Glaze: Place all ingredients in a sauce pan on low heat. Stir and cook ONLY until butter melts. Remove from heat and drizzle over cooled frosted cake. Note: This makes extra glaze that can be stored in refrigerator several days, reheated and poured over other "goodies". You can half the glaze recipe if you prefer.